Method and Apparatus for Affecting Behavioral Patterns of a Child

Abstract

A method and apparatus for affecting behavioral patterns of a child are disclosed. Specifically, one embodiment of the present invention sets forth a method, which includes the steps of determining a behavioral pattern of a child based on a set of detected data while the child performs acts associated with the behavioral pattern, comparing the behavioral pattern against a first set of expected conditions to generate a comparison result, and generating a reward for the child based on the comparison result, wherein the reward affects the behavioral pattern.

1 . An assistive eating device, comprising:
 a container to store food;   a sensor to detect the weight of the container; and   a processing unit configured to calculate a first weight change associated with the container and execute an application according to a condition associated with the first weight change; and   a display unit to display the output of the application.   
   
   
       2 . The assistive eating device of  claim 1 , wherein the application is a behavior modification game that manages a plurality of characters to move towards a finish line and displays the plurality of characters on the display unit. 
   
   
       3 . The assistive eating device of  claim 1 , wherein the condition requires the first weight change to be less than any of previously calculated weight changes. 
   
   
       4 . The assistive eating device of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor area of the sensor is sufficiently large to accommodate the bottom area of the container but sufficiently small to avoid picking up interference signals. 
   
   
       5 . An assistive eating device for a child, comprising:
 a processing unit configured to
 determine a behavioral pattern for the child based on a set of detected data while the child interacts with the assistive eating device, 
 compare the behavioral pattern against a first set of expected conditions to generate a comparison result, and 
 generate a reward for the child based on the comparison result, wherein the reward affects the behavioral pattern. 
   
   
   
       6 . The assistive eating device of  claim 5 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to filter out noises associated with the set of detected data to derive the behavioral pattern. 
   
   
       7 . The assistive eating device of  claim 5 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to restart in response to an interfering signal triggered by an irregular activity. 
   
   
       8 . The assistive eating device of  claim 5 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to operate on a second set of expected conditions received from an external input coupled to the assistive eating device. 
   
   
       9 . The assistive eating device of  claim 5 , further comprising a memory unit to store a plurality of applications, each including a sequence of instructions, which when executed by the processing unit, causes the processing unit to issue the reward to the child. 
   
   
       10 . The assistive eating device of  claim 9 , wherein one of the plurality of applications is a behavior modification game, wherein the reward induces a response from the child. 
   
   
       11 . The assistive eating device of  claim 9 , further comprising a display unit to display the reward. 
   
   
       12 . The assistive eating device of  claim 9 , wherein the processing unit executes the sequence of instructions for one of the plurality of applications, causes the processing unit to send the reward to an external device coupled to the processing unit to display. 
   
   
       13 . The assistive eating device of  claim 5 , wherein the reward is intended to encourage the behavioral pattern. 
   
   
       14 . The assistive eating device of  claim 5 , wherein the reward is intended to discourage the behavior pattern. 
   
   
       15 . A method, comprising:
 determining a behavioral pattern of a child based on a set of detected data while the child performs acts associated with the behavioral pattern,   comparing the behavioral pattern against a first set of expected conditions to generate a comparison result, and   generating a reward for the child based on the comparison result, wherein the reward affects the behavioral pattern.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the determining step further includes filtering out noises associated with the set of detected data to derive the behavioral pattern. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising restarting the determining step in response to an interfering signal triggered by an irregular activity. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising reprogramming the first set of expected conditions with a second set of expected conditions before generating the comparison result. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising selecting from a plurality of applications, each capable of generating the reward for the child. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein one of the plurality of applications is a behavior modification game, wherein the reward induces a response from the child. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising displaying the reward. 
   
   
       22 . An assistive eating device for a child, comprising:
 a sensor to generate a set of detected data while the child interacts with the assistive eating device, and   an interface to couple to a mobile device, wherein the mobile device includes a processing unit that is configured to:
 determine a behavioral pattern for the child based on the set of detected data; 
 compare the behavioral pattern against a first set of expected conditions to generate a comparison result, and 
 generate a reward for the child based on the comparison result, wherein the reward affects the behavioral pattern. 
   
   
   
       23 . The assistive eating device of  claim 22 , wherein the processing unit of the mobile device is further configured to filter out noises associated with the set of detected data to derive the behavioral pattern. 
   
   
       24 . The assistive eating device of  claim 22 , wherein the processing unit of the mobile device is further configured to operate on a second set of expected conditions received from an external input coupled to the assistive eating device. 
   
   
       25 . The assistive eating device of  claim 22 , wherein the mobile device further includes a memory unit to store a plurality of applications, each including a sequence of instructions, which when executed by the processing unit, causes the processing unit to issue the reward to the child. 
   
   
       26 . The assistive eating device of  claim 25 , wherein one of the plurality of applications is a behavior modification game, wherein the reward induces a response from the child. 
   
   
       27 . The assistive eating device of  claim 25 , wherein the mobile device further includes a display unit to display the reward.